


Antarctic Night

by Judybrandtner



Category: Outlander (TV), Outlander Series - Diana Gabaldon
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Antarctica, F/M, kinda slow burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-20
Updated: 2021-02-06
Packaged: 2021-03-09 23:13:53
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 7,143
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27643964
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Judybrandtner/pseuds/Judybrandtner
Summary: After breaking up with her husband, Claire Beauchamp accepts an offer to work as one of the medical officers at a British base in Antarctica.
Relationships: Claire Beauchamp/Jamie Fraser
Comments: 94
Kudos: 177





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> YouTube made me do it. I watched this video about the Macmurdo base and well...

Claire came out of the ship she had traveled in from South Chile. She tightened her jacket and her beanie as she came down, one of the of officers soon calling her attention and greeting her. 'I'm commander John Grey, York Base officer.' He introduced himself. 'Doctor Beauchamp I suppose.'

'Pleased to finally meet you in person, Commander Grey.' Claire shook his hand and smiled.

'Please, call me John. We're going to share a place not bigger than a football pitch for six months.'

'Then I'm Claire, John.' She answered. 'Shall we leave?'

'Not yet.' John said. 'We're need to pick up your partner.'

'My partner?' Claire asked, unsure of what John meant.

'Don't you know? There's two doctors for period.' John said. 'He was travelling on the same ship than you.' Soon a tall, handsome man wearing a thinner jacket and a free mat of red hair came down the ship. 'Doctor Fraser!' John shouted to him, who soon joined them. 'James Fraser? I'm commander John Grey. And this is your partner, Claire Beauchamp.'

'Pleased to meet ye John.' Jamie shook John's hand hard before bow to Claire. 'Ye can call me Jamie.' 

'Well, welcome to Stanley to you both.' John said. 'Let's go the hotel to meet the rest of the team.' he added taking Claire and Jamie to a military truck nearby. Claire ended up squashed between the two men. Jamie accidentally put his hand on Claire's thigh, he quickly apologised but there was something she didn't like about him.

For now...


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The plot thickens...

The group gathered at the restaurant of the small hotel they were staying. It was going to be a couple of days on the island before travel by ship to Antartica and then on a plane to the base, located two hundred miles from the coast, time John wanted to use the time to do some checks on supplies and equipment they were moving with them to the base and to let the people know each other before their work began.

‘He’s an idiot.’ Claire told her friend on zoom, one night on her hotel room. ‘I can sense it.’

‘He’s Scottish.’ Her friend answered Claire. ‘He canna be that bad. And ye just met, once ye start workin’ together, it might get better.’

‘Or I might feel like kick his arse out in the snow.’

‘Claire, I ken Frank was a bastard, but ye really have to stop thinkin’ all men are as bad as him.’

‘Well, then he better begin to show me he’s not that bad.’ Claire said to Geillis.

‘Have ye seen any polar bears?’ Jamie’s three-year-old nephew, sit at his mother’s lap, asked him through the computer.

‘There isna bears on the South Pole wee Jamie.’ Jamie laughed. ‘But I might see some penguins.’

‘I dinna like penguins.’ The boy said, jumping off his mother’s and going to play with his baby sister and his father at the background of the scene. 

Jenny rolled her eyes and carried on. ‘How’s is it goin’?’ 

‘’Tis goin’ fine for now.’ Jamie answered her sister as Murtagh joined Jenny at the computer. 

‘What’s goin’ on lad.’ Murtagh said. ‘Has yer arse already frozen?’

‘Murtagh!’ Jenny sighed and went back to Jamie, laughing at his godfather’s antics. ‘And how’s the people ye’re workin’ with? Did ye make any friends?’ 

‘My arse is fine, a gostidh.’ Jamie started. ‘And, aye, there’s verra nice people on the group. One of the astronomers, he’s a good lad from Swansea. He also plays chess and we’re already making plans for have some matches when we’re free of tasks on the base.’ Jamie told Jenny. ‘And there’s Claire, the other doctor in the group.’

‘What about her?’ Jenny asked.

‘I like her.’ Jamie answered. ‘Ye ken, I like, like her. She’s verra bonnie and smart...’

‘If she’s smart, she probably thinks ye’re an idiot.’ Murtagh joked, making Jenny sigh again.

‘Aye, she does.’ Jamie joked back. ‘But I tasked myself with change her mind.’

‘Och lad, if ye wanted to put yerself in ridicule with a lass.’ Murtagh said again. ‘Ye could have just go the pub on the corner, no’ the other side of the World.’

Moving day came few days later, the staff and the supplies were boarded and soon they were on their way to Antarctica. ‘How’s it going?’ Abby, the telecommunication specialist walked to Claire as she looked at the sea.

‘I’m fine.’ Claire answered her. ‘And you?’

‘Fine. Excited we’re finally on our way to the base.’ Abby told Claire. ‘And you may have your first patient soon enough.’

‘May I? Who?’

‘Jamie, your partner.’ Abby answered. ‘He’s downstairs lying in with seasickness. Hot but soft, nice combo.’

‘I haven’t noticed.’ Claire said.

‘Haven’t you? Really? I mean, he’s easily the hottest out of the male staff. By a mile.’

‘Not really.’

‘Oh, I see, you play for Team Lesbian.’ Abby wrongly supposed. ‘I play in both, but you’re not my type, my women tastes are closer to Rita Ora.’

‘Wait, no...’Claire tried to explain. ‘I...I am attracted to men. But I broke my ten-year-long relationship just before apply for the job in the base and I decided to keep myself off to even look at men until I am back in Britain. I need space for myself right now.’

It would take another day to reach the base. She ended up sat beside Jamie again at the plane; he seemed a bit pale, probably due to the seasickness he had been affected with at the ship. ‘Are you OK now?’ She asked to him. ‘I heard you were sick on the ship.’

‘I’m fine now.’ Jamie answered her. ‘Thank ye Sorcha.’

‘Sorcha?’ Claire asked Jamie again.

‘’Tis Claire in Gaelic.’ Jamie explained. ‘A wee nickname.’

‘I don’t like it.’ Claire said to him. ‘I would prefer if you call me Claire.’ Jamie sighed and looked at the white vast expense below then through the window. ‘Sorry, Jamie, if I sounded rude. I didn’t intend for it.’

‘Dinna fash for that, Sor...Claire.’ Jamie smiled at Claire.

‘You have an admirer, did you know?’ Claire changed the subject of the conversation. 

‘Do I? Who?’ Jamie asked.

‘Abby, she thinks you’re the hottest guy in the team.’

‘Sadly, she isna my type.’ Jamie told Claire. ‘Too young and bubbly. I prefer women with character and fierceness.’

‘Home, sweet home.’ Owen, the astronomer said as the left the plane. John took the group for a tour around the working part of the base before go to the living quarters. Jamie and Claire would be passing the next six months sharing a small consult room, a living room, a toilet and one bedroom with two narrow beds and a curtain as only privacy between both sides of the room.

‘Which bed do ye want, Claire?’ Jamie asked. ‘Ladies decide.’

‘Let me think.’ She said, as she looked at the room, deciding which side she did indeed prefer. ‘I think I’m keeping the right side.’

‘I’ll take the left then.’ Jamie said, moving quickly to the left side as Claire rolled the curtain to give each other privacy while they unpack.

‘Mind if I put some music?’ Jamie asked, looking at Claire’s silhouette moving around. 

‘I suppose you can.’ Claire answered, while sorting her clothes on the wardrobe, the room soon filled with a rock song mixed with traditional Scottish sounds in another language. 

‘Is that Gaelic too?’ Claire asked.

‘Aye. They come from the same small town in the Highlands as my family.’ Jamie answered

‘They sound nice.’

‘What kind of music do ye hear?’ Jamie asked, while tapping photos of his family on the wall.

‘Would you laugh if I told you I like Italian and Arab music?’ Claire, for her part, was putting her underwear in order on a drawer.

‘How did ye start listening to them?’ 

‘My parents died on an accident when I was five.’ Claire started to tell Jamie. 

‘Sorry to hear that.’ Jamie interrupted.’

‘I was raised by my uncle.’ Claire carried on. ‘He was an archaeologist. We passed most of my childhood travelling around the World. We lived in Egypt for a few years and I went to high school in Rome, while my uncle was working on Naples Bay.’

‘My mam died when I was eight, a car accident.’ Jamie started to recall next. ‘And my Da died when I was studying at Uni. I was living in Glasgow at that time. My sister called me from Broch Mhorda telling me he had had a stroke and the doctors didna give him long to live. I took the first train home, but he had already passed by the time I got there.’

Claire rolled back the curtain to look at Jamie. ‘I’m really sorry, Jamie.’ He smiled at her, and she looked at the photos on the wall, her eyes focusing on the image of a young woman with a small boy and a toddler. ‘Are you married?’

‘Och, no.’ Jamie went to explain Claire. ‘She’s Jenny, my sister. She’s married with my best friend, Ian. Jamie pointed to another photo of the three of them together. ‘The lad is named after me, Jamie, and the lass is named Maggie, after our grandmother.’

‘Tell your sister her children are really cute.’ Claire said to Jamie.

‘I promise I will, Claire.’ Jamie smiled at Claire, looking her directly into her eyes. 

‘Where was I?’ Claire moved back to her half of the room. ‘We need to finish unpacking before it’s dinner time.’

‘Aye, I suppose so.’ Jamie said, going back to his own work.


	3. Chapter 3

The first couple of weeks at the base passed quickly. People working hard to get the base ready on the few sunlight time they had before the Austral night came, surrounding them by darkness for four long months. 

Claire was working in finish setting up the consulting room while Jamie helped moving boxes from the plane to the base. 'He's going to hate this.' Claire abstractly thought about her scrupulous alphabetic method of putting medicines on the drawers. 

That was one thing they quickly had discovered while sharing a small room, she was way to more meticulous than him in how they kept their stuff on the drawers of the room. She was a bit annoyed for his habit of just throw his socks about on the floor as he got ready to bed, while he laughed about her ironing her undies before put them back on the drawers.

Then was the shower, Claire being more than once awaken by Jamie's total inability to sing as he showered on the morning while he had had the nerve to tell her he didn't like her rosemary and lime shampoo.

'How do you dare?' Claire had told him after that 'For your interest, I selected the fragrances by myself. They're 100% natural and cruelty free. I bet you can't say the same of that Tesco shower gel.'

'Still makes my sinuses funny when I'm close to it.' Jamie answered. 

'Claire, we need you!' Abby, the telecommunication tech came running into the consult room, followed by John, Owen and Jamie, something clearly wrong with his shoulder. 

'What's happened? She asked, while the men sat Jamie in a chair. 

'Just a wee accident.' Jamie tried to deflate the situation.

'We were unloading some boxes and one fell down.' John explained to Claire. ' Jamie tried to stop it but he couldn't.' 

'Luckily it's not broken.' Claire said after examine Jamie's shoulder. 'Just dislocated. Help him take off his jacket, jumper and shirt, I'll be needing you two to help me keep Jamie on place as a put the bone back in the joint.' They did what Claire asked, Helping Jamie out of his clothes. Claire reluctantly agreed with herself that Jamie was in fact an attractive man, beautifully made as she got ready to manoeuvre Jamie's shoulder back she it belonged. Jamie grimaced, but didn't scream. ' You better be careful from now on.' Claire scolded Jamie as she found something to hold Jamie's arm and some pain relief. 'I don't want to lose my partner one week in.'

'I will Boss.' Jamie said, taking the medicines with a glass of water Abby had gotten ready for Claire. 

Finally the day came, the last day of sunlight before the winter night. The base organised a little party with trinkets, props, hats and feather boas. Music played and people paired up to dance on the common room. 'May I have a dance with you?' Jamie asked to Claire. 'Ye are the only sit around. That isna right.' 

'Just one.' Claire answered. ' You still have to be careful with your shoulder.' A slow song came and Jamie took one of Claire's hands with his free hand, Claire placing the other one lightly on Jamie's injured shoulder. 

'Ye have a nice touch, Claire.' Jamie said to Claire. 'Best medical attention I ever had.'

'No need to be so nice. Just stop throwing your socks like you're playing rugby with them.' Claire answersd to Jamie's praise. 

'I'll try.' Jamie answered. ' And I was sincere in my comment. Ye're a verra nice doctor.' 

'Thank you Jamie.' Claire answered as the song finished. 'You might not be that bad after all.'

'I'm doing by best to show ye I am not.'

'Just work a bit harder.' Jamie laughed at Claire's words. 

'OK, everyone gather in the balcony.' John said, opening the small balcony, and filling up everyone's glasses with prosecco. 'Our last sunset in four months.' He said as the Sun dissapeared on the horizon. 'See you on August.' He toasted towards the Sun everyone following swiftly and drinking until the last traces of light were won by the dark. 'And now, for the Thing all of you have been waiting.' He took a DVD from the table. 'The Thing.' He announced, everyone taking seat on the room to watch the movie, Jamie sitting beside Claire. 

Claire was sleeping lightly that night. She wasn't one for horror movies, but being a tradition on the base, she went through it with as good of a face she could put. A noise called her attention, followed by a shadow, making her jump off the bed, switch on the light and throw her shampoo bottle to it, before seen that the "Shadow" was in fact Jamie, for some reason fully naked, walking towards the toilet.

'Och, what was that?' He told Claire. 

'What are you doing? Claire shouted at Jamie. 

'I needed the privy.' Jamie tried to cover himself with the curtain. 

'Naked?' 

'Aye, I sleep naked.' Jamie answered. 'It isna that uncommon.' 

'Wait, you've been sleeping naked all this time?'

'Aye. But I'm always careful no' to wake up ye.' Jamie tried to explain to Claire. 'Sorry I did today.' 

'You didn't wake me up.' Claire finally sat on the bed. 'I had a nightmare because of the movie and I couldn't sleep again.' Jamie laughed. 'Laughing at me are you? At least I'm not walking around naked freaking out people. I thought you were the monster.' 

'I'll be wearing somethin' from now on.' Jamie smiled at Claire. 'So ye dinna confuse me with a monster again.'


	4. Chapter 4

Claire looked at the window of the medical room, strong winds moving snow flakes around the area illuminated by the lights outside the base, darkness and nothingness far beyond the reach of the spotlights. The work was an easy one, just attending cuts and burns caused by machinery or headaches and colds. Jamie's ways had been changing for the better- no more flying socks and he was now wearing a rugby shirt and underwear in bed, if still cringed at the smell of her shampoo. She crossed looks with Jamie, writing a report on his computer, he smiled at her and she was surprised of the warm feeling she felt inside her. 'Penny for yer thoughts, Claire.'

'I think my mind was just wandering around the far beyond the lights.' Claire answered, moving her chair close to Jamie. 'Danny is passing more time here than in the kitchen.' She commented of the report, talking about the umpteenth cut the young assistant cook had inflict himself on one of his fingers.

'Aye, the lad needs better knife skills.' Jamie answered. 'Ye smell different, sweeter. I like it.'

'I finished the horrendous Rosemary shampoo.' Claire joked. 'This is peach and mandarin.'

'Thank God for the small mercies.' Jamie joked back, Claire nudging him for it.

_'So, how's yer new Scottish friend.' Geillis asked Claire through the computer._

_'I'm actually warming him up, you know.' Claire answered. 'He's not that bad as I thought at first.'_

_'Of course he is. He's from the Highlands, men are really nice up there.'_

_'Yes, and he's mending his bad habits.' Claire said. 'He's more careful now, and he's stopped sleeping naked.'_

_'Wait, what?' Geillis put her headphones on as someone entered the doctor's room at the hospital she worked. 'Did ye just said that that ginger snack slept naked.'_

_'How do you know what Jamie looks like?'_

_'I've checked the base's blog. I've seen photos of all the team.' Geillis lowered her voice. 'Tell me, how does he look naked? Is it big? Ye ken, his sword?'_

_'Geillis!' Claire exclaimed, calling the attention of Abby the telecommunications Tech, on whose room Claire was sat. Good luck she was also wearing headphones._

_'Everything all right Claire?' Abby asked._

_'Yes, everything is alright.' Claire said to Abby before go back to Geillis, lowering her own voice. 'I can't believe you just asked that.'_

_'Just an approximate measure.' Geillis replied, making Claire blush._

_'OK, but just this time.' Claire said, checking that Abby was wearing now her own headphones, heavy metal coming clearly from them. 'Bigger than Frank's.'_

_'That's easy.' Geillis answered. 'Only a small dick would buy that car.'_

_'Oh, Geillis.' Claire rolled her eyes to her friend._

_'Och lad, only ye would sleep naked on the middle of the South Pole.' Murtagh laughed as Jamie told to him and Jenny. 'Yer brother has reached a level of ridiculousness unseen in history.' Murtagh took a large sip of his whisky._

_'What she said then?' Jenny asked._

_'She had had a nightmare and thought I was a monster.' Jamie explained next, making both his sister and godfather laugh._

_'Och, Suzette told me that one too.' Murtagh finished his drink. 'The first time I passed a night on her place.'_

_'Murtagh, no' in front of the bairns.' Jenny scolded him as Jamie saw Young Jamie coming towards the computer._

_'Mam, did Uncle Jamie see a monster?' The little boy asked to Jenny._

_'No, mo balaich.' Jenny told her song. 'Someone confused yer uncle with one.'_

_'I can see why' Young Jamie dead panned, making Murtagh wheeze. 'He looks big and bad sometimes.'_

_'Thank ye for yer opinion wee man.' Jamie said to the boy._

_'Dinna say that type of thin's of yer uncle.' Jenny tried to admonished her son. 'Say sorry to him.'_

_'Maybe later.' Young Jamie said, before leave her mother's side to play again with his cars. Murtagh laughing even louder as he poured a second glass._

_'This boy.' Jenny said, looking at Young Jamie, Murtagh pouring another glass for her.' And how is it goin' with the lass? Does she think of ye better yet?'_

_'Aye, she does.' Jamie answered. 'Little by little I'm getting there.'_

Jamie went to John Grey's office with the day's report of injuries. 'I don't know what I'm going to do with Danny.' He sighed. 'He's going to finish our stock of bandages all by himself. '

'Aye, the lad needs a lesson or two in knife managin'' Jamie said as John sighed again and left his table to open a small cabinet, swiftly producing a bottle of an American bourbon and two glasses. 

'Mind to share with me.' John offered him a glass.

'I should feel offended that ye're offerin' me, a proud Scot, that goat piss.' Jamie laughed, accepting a glass.

'It does taste like goat piss, but right now is the only thing available.' John laughed as both sipped the drink and grimaced at it. 'I got a couple of bottles from the commander of the American base, 50miles to the west.' John put the bottle back on the cabinet. and sat back on his table. 'I gave him some nice Leicester cheese. I lost on the bargain.'

'Can I make ye a question?' Jamie said, 'Hypothetically.' 

'Yes, why not?' John answered. 'I don't have anything else at the moment.'

'Has been there a case of people falling in love durin' their time on the base?' Jamie asked.

'Not here, that I know.' John answered. 'But it has happened on the American base. The commander is actually ordained as a...whatever they call it in America to lay people who can marry people.'

'So, it would be allowed, if it were to happen.'

'You mean Danny and Abby, don't you?' John asked. 'I've seen him slip out his work when she's around at lunch time.' Jamie laughed, thinking on how lost John was about the subjects of his question. 'I wouldn't mind, if it happened.'

Claire went to the room behind the kitchen shared by both the assistant cook to check on Danny's bandage, finding him on his bed reading books about Japanese culture and language. 'Do you speak Japanese?'

'I'm learning.' Danny said with her strong Liverpool accent. 'I've always liked their culture.'

'That sounds interesting.' Claire said as she sat on the bed with him.

Claire attended the cook's wounds as they talked about Japan. 'This one is interesting.' Danny said, showing her one of the books. 'Koi no Yokan.'

'What does it mean?' Claire felt interested just by the enthusiasm of Danny.

'It's something like Love at Second Sight.' Danny explained. 'The feeling when you meet your soul mate but you don't feel it at first, and then you fall in love with them little by little.' Claire was really surprised as the image of Jamie came to her mind. 'Or this one- Ikigai. It means Reason to Being or the Thing that makes you get up in the morning.' Danny carried on. 'And this one is my favourite- Tsuki Ga Kirei Desu Ne. It literally means The Moon is Beautiful, but in old Japan it also meant I Love You.'

'I never knew Japanese was so poetic.' Claire said as she finished with the bandages. 'Thank you for the lesson, Danny.'

'The Moon is beautiful today.' Jamie said to Claire the next 'morning' as the opened up the consult room, making her laugh. 'I dinna think it was so funny.'

'Sorry, it's just Danny told me yesterday while I was attending him yesterday that old Japanese people used that very phrase to say I love you.'

'Interesting.' Jamie said. 'Tha gaol agam ort, mo chridhe.' He added in Gaelic.

'What does it mean?' Claire asked Jamie.

'I'll tell ye one of these days.' Jamie smiled at Claire before the first patient knocked on the door.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Love is in the air, and Claire is feeling kinda needy.

_'_ I have a verra funny one to tell ye a brathair.' Jenny told Jamie during their video call. Claire sat beside Jamie, after he had invited her to meet his family when her friend failed to make it to their weekly call. "She could share his family for one week" Jamie had called it. 'Malva was here yesterday with her da.'

'What did she want?' Jamie answered, laying back on the chair looking annoyed.

'Who's Malva?' Claire asked.

'A lass from Broch Mhorda.' Jamie explained. 'We dated a few times, but it never went far, because...'

'Because she's a psychopath.' Jenny finished, making Claire laugh.

'So, what they were about yesterday?' Jamie asked again.

'They came looking for ye because she's six weeks pregnant with yer child and they want to take responsibility of it.' Both Claire and Jamie snorted this time.

'Six weeks? I've been down here for ten weeks, Jen.' Jamie said. 'And it isna like ye can reach this place on an uber.'

'Imagine her face when I laughed at her ugly face and I showed her and her da the base blog.' Jenny laughed. 'Her da went red in the face and she burst out of the house on tears. They passed the next half an hour fighting in the car just in front of the house. Murtagh brought some whisky while we watched the show.' Claire wheezed while Jamie rolled his eyes before start laughing too. 'Some of the states workers heard them and they were quickly spreadin' the news around town. Mrs. Cook says the lasses at the supermarket were talkin' of nothin' else on their smokin' break.' 

'I feel kinda sad that she's now the talk of the town.' Jamie said.

'Dinna be brother.' Jenny answered back. 'She wasna a tad ashamed of try to pass someone else's bairn as yers. If she canna show her face on the supermarket again 'tis somethin' she got for herself.'

'Jenny's right.' Claire agreed with Jenny. 'Your ex was the one lying. And she got easy in my opinion. I probably have slapped her on the face in your sister's situation.'

'I like her, brother.' Jenny said to Jamie in Gaelic. 'Dinna fuck it up with her.' Jamie laughed at Jenny, Claire looking at him.

'What has she said?' Claire asked to Jamie.

'She likes ye.' Jamie answered.

'Oh, thank you. I like you too.' Claire said to Jenny. 'I hope we can be friends once we're back on Britain.' Jamie smiled, hoping Claire and Jenny could be more than friends once they were back to their normal lives. 

Next day...

Life at the base had taken a sense of routine, marked for the changes of the lighting to simulate the pass of time on northern latitudes where day and night were clearly different. Claire felt more and more at home, creating close bonds with the people at the base and specially with Jamie, as they shared almost every moment together. But she was feeling a bit unfocused on that day, nothing physical by mental. She had always a very sensual person, she loved sex and wasn't ashamed of it, and after weeks without any release, she was feeling a bit over the edge. Maybe she could do something about, she thought at some point of the day, but when? Jamie was always around. Maybe in the evening, after he had left to play chess with Owen, the astronomer, and John. Claire was still lost in her own thoughts when she accidentally pushed her tea mug off the table, shattering in the floor to both her and Jamie's shock.

'Claire, are ye OK?' Jamie asked to her, looking at the mess on the floor.

'Yes, sorry for disturb you.' Claire answered. 'My mind just flew off and I forget about the mug being there.'

'I'll go to the store room for something to clean this.' 

'No, I'm going. It's my fault after all.' Claire said, quickly standing from her chair and leaving the consult room. 'Get a grip, Beauchamp.' She told to herself as she walked the corridor towards the cleaning storeroom for the brush and some paper to clean the tea spilled on the floor. 'You really need to take that off your head.' Claire reached the storeroom and opened the door only to find Danny, the kitchen assistant, and Abby, the telecommunications tech, making out inside. 'What the hell are you doing here?' She told the couple who quickly began to rearrange their clothes. 

'Claire, we can explain.' Abby said to her friend.

'I can see what you were doing.' Claire said to them. 'What were you thinking? What if John saw you?'

'You're not telling him, are you?' Danny said to Claire. 'Please.'

'Of course I'm not.' Claire said to the couple. 'But you shouldn't be doing that kind of things on a place someone might find you.'

'Thank you.' Abby told Claire. 'And we're leaving now. I need to reconnect the camera on this corridor before John asks me for it.' The couple passed beside her out of the storeroom. Claire sighed loudly, just what she need on her current horny state, someone else getting on it so close to her.

'So, what's about you and Claire?' Owen asked Jamie over the chess board on the observatory, just as John left the room for a break. 

'What do ye mean?' Jamie lied to his friend, quite badly.

'I might be contemptuous about the female sex, except for my beloved Lady Venus up there.' He looked at the image on his computer. 'But I can see how you look at her when you're together.'

'Och, aye. I canna deny I have feelin's for her.' Jamie confessed. 'And I'm tryin' to win her heart little by little. And well, I think I might be doin' some advances...'

'I wish you the best luck.' Owen said before move his queen through the board. 'And check mate.'

'Och, ye wee bastard.' Jamie said, smiling. 'Nice trick to take my head off the game and use it on your benefit.'

'Chess is a game for gentlemen, I would never. 'Owen laughed and he and Jamie's clinked their glasses before John came back to the room. Jamie finished his drink and excused himself with tiredness and walked back to his room.

Unaware of Jamie, Claire had locked the door after he had left and was lying in bed naked, working her fingers on her own flesh. She had had a couple of false starts as the image of Jamie- wrapped on a towel after shower, of fully naked on the night she had caught him- came into her mind. She tried her hardest to call the image of other, any other attractive man she knew, but she couldn't and so she went with it, thinking on Jamie's chiseled body as she touched herself. Jamie reached the door, his ear catching on the moaning breath coming through it, he worked the knob but it couldn't move it, knocking on the door instead.

'Claire, are ye there?' Jamie said. 'Are ye OK?'

'Shit! Shit! Shit!' Claire jumped off the bed, looking for her clothes. 'I'm OK. I'll open in a second.' Jamie laughed as he understood what she was doing, a bolt of need of his own as he pictured naked, making love to herself. His cock twitched in want as he thought about Claire's ivory skin and bonnie breasts. 'You're early. I thought you'll be playing and talking with Owen and John for longer.' Claire, flustered, said as she opened the door.

'I was tired.' Jamie said. 'What were ye doin' with the door bolted?'

'Just stuff.' Claire went red on the face, making Jamie smile. 'Putting stuff in order.'

Jamie let it go and got himself ready to bed, the thought of how much he wanted to give Claire the pleasure she deserved running on his head.


	6. Chapter 6

'Claire, hi.' Abby, the telecommunications showed her head at the door. 'Are you busy?'

'Oh, hi Abby.' Claire answered, springing her head off the book she was reading. 'How are you?'

'Fine.' Abby stayed t the door, seemingly waiting for something. 'Is Jamie around?'

'No, he's helping in kitchen.' Claire answered. 'I think they need to move something to repair it.'

'Good.' Abby quickly came into the room, closing the door behind her. 'I need to talk with you from woman to woman.'

'Abby, what is happening with you?' Claire asked as Abby sat on the stretcher.

'Well...' Abby hesitated. 'I don't know how to explain this...I'm quite a regular girl, but this month, my Red Aunt hasn't visited yet.'

'What do you mean?' Claire wasn't understanding what Abby was trying to say. 

'You know...I'm late. Four days.' Abby clarified to Claire.

'Oh God, Abby.' Claire rolled her eyes. 'I think you and Danny are old enough to know how to care about these things.'

'Well, no one of us actually planned for it, it just happened.' Abby replied to Claire. 'And it's not like you have a pharmacy on the neighbourhood.' Claire laughed and Abby relaxed a bit. 'We did try to be sure any...you know...spilled off me, but...'

'You failed at least once.' Claire finished for her.

'Maybe twice, three times.' Abby confessed, Claire rolling her eyes again.

'Well, the thing is that the program didn't count of spilling accidents and I don't have access to pregnancy tests either.' Claire explained. 'And as you say, there are no pharmacies around.'

'So...we just wait.'

'I'll do some research if I can...fix up something with what I have on hand.' Claire said. 'Now, the important thing is, if you are indeed pregnant, what are you going to do?'

'Oh, I'm having the baby, of course.' Abby seemed outraged for Claire's question. 'Danny loves me and I love him.'

'Are you sure?' Claire asked. 'I mean, love is a big word, and well...we're on a small place, day after day together with barely any contact with the outside World and home. It's easy to confuse one's feelings on cases like this. There's a difference between love and just plain sexual desire.'

'Have you ever been in love, Claire?' 

'I was, this once when I was a young girl.'

'What did happen?'

'I was orphaned at a young age.' Claire started to narrate Abby. 'I passed my childhood travelling around with my uncle, until we finally moved back to London when I was due to start Uni.' Claire sighed. 'His name was Frank, he was my first great love. He was a TA for my uncle's archaeology class. He was fun, nice and romantic...you know, the whole set.'

'So, what happened between you two?'

'We got married. I was 21, he was 24.' Claire carried on. 'It was good for a while, we worked and studied. He finished his history master, I finished my medical training, we found good jobs and bought a house. I was about to start talking seriously with Frank about, you know, starting a family, but then...'

'Then what?'

'I caught him on his office with one of his students.' Abby grimaced. 'Yes, doing what you imagine they were doing. I also discovered she wasn't the first one. There had been others, during all the time we were married.' 

'I'm sorry to hear that, Claire. He sounds like a fucker.'

'That's one of the reasons I accepted this position, a way to distance myself from everything and clear my head about what I want my life to be from now on.' 

'So, that's why you're so cynical about love.' 

'What do you mean?'

'I know the difference about love and desire Claire, that's why I am so sure I love Danny.' Abby explained. 'And that's why I can see what is between you and Jamie.'

'Wait, what?' 

'Claire, I can see you two together.' Abby explained. 'How do you look at each other.'

'You're wrong. Jamie and I are just friends.'

'Maybe is what your cynicism wants to see. You got hurt and closed your heart, I understand that, get cheated hurts hard, I know that too.' Abby explained to Claire. 'But you should open that door and let things happen.' Abby looked at the clock on the wall. 'It's a bit late and I need to arrange a call home.' Abby left the stretcher and walked to the door. 'I'll let you doing that research. You really need to think about it.' Abby left the room, leaving Claire with a massive weight on both her head and her heart. 

That weight kept running through her through the night, as she laid on her bed wide awake, thinking on Abby's words and all the little things that had happened between Jamie and her during their time in the base. She sat on the bed, looking at Jamie sleeping in the other bed, the curtain pushed back. She sighed and the weight seemed to be lifted, soon to be swapped by another one- she might love him, but what about him? Claire stood up and walked to Jamie's bed, ruffling his hair as he slept, a smile soon appearing on his face which made Claire laugh. 

'Geillis, I need some help.' She told her friend the next morning on their weekly call. 'I don't know how to explain this...but I think I've fallen in love with Jamie. Like actual love.'

'It was about time ye noticed yerself, lass.' Geillis said. 'Ye're looking at him like if he was a pile of gold on one of the last posts on the blog.' Geillis answered for Claire's surprise. 'You've never been able to hide anything on yer face'

...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The rest of the conversation between Claire and Geillis coming in the next chapter.
> 
> OK, Red Aunt is totally a German thing, but I have no idea of English equivalents. Free to leave some for next time.


	7. Chapter 7

Claire talked about Geillis about little things and gossip about the hospital, waiting for a good moment to talk to her friend about what she really wanted to talk with Geillis about, her feelings about Jamie. Finally, Abby left the room for something and Claire took her chance.

'I need to talk to you about something.'

'What is about?' Geillis answered. 'Is it everythin' OK down there?'

'Geillis, I need some help. I don't know how to explain this...but I think I've fallen in love with Jamie. Like actual love.'

'It was about time ye noticed yerself, lass.' Geillis said. 'Ye're looking at him like if he was a pile of gold on one of the last posts on the blog.' Geillis answered for Claire's surprise. 'You've never been able to hide anything on yer face'

'I've been told that already.' Claire sighed. 'I don't know what to do now, Geillis.'

'You don't know what to do now?' Geillis said. 'There's only one thing to do, lass, go for that ginger snack.'

'Geillis, I can't do that.' Claire said. 'What if he rejects me? We still have over two months to live together here.'  
I  
'Claire, stop overthinking, ye'll be fine.' Geillis tried to reassure Claire. 'Ye're a fine woman, he'd be a massive idiot to reject someone like ye.'

'Dammit!' Claire said, sometime later on the consult room, as she tried to reach something on a high shelf. 

'Let me help ye.' Jamie lined himself with Claire, she feeling heat on her core as Jami'es crotch rubbed with her bum. 'Och, so sorry, lass, for that.' Jamie said, giving Claire the box she wanted to take. 

'It's OK, Jamie.' Claire said, trying not to look directly at Jamie, so to not let him see her feelings yet. 'Soon.' Claire thought to herself, as she looked back at Jamie, now once more working on the records of the day on the computer, a smile on her lips. 

'Och, a nice wee bonnie smile.' Jamie told her, Claire soon feeling blush coming to her cheeks. 'Care to tell me the reason for it?'

'Soon.' Claire said again, loudly this time.

'Lookin' forward to it.' Jamie gave a big smile of his own to Claire, before someone knocked the door, making them go back to their work.

Couple days later, the base gathered on to celebrate the birthday of Owen, the astronomer. Party food and a chocolate cake were produced seemingly from nowhere and music played loud, people dancing around in party hats. Claire was sat on a couch, looking at the people dancing- Abby and Danny, John and Nancy, one of the scientists- and to Jamie, who was helping people with the food and talking with Owen. 'Tonight.' Claire thought to herself. 'Better now than never.' She run the words she wanted to tell Jamie that night on their room in her mind over and over again. She was afraid, as she had ever been, but Geillis was right and she need to jump that obstacle.

'Would ye like a dance?' Jamie was suddenly in front of her. 'Ye havena being on the dance floor yet.'

'Yes, Jamie, I will dance with you.' Claire took Jamie's hand and the went to the centre of the room, dancing to a sweet love song. 'Jamie, I'd like to tell you something. Later, when we're alone on out room.'

'Is it everythin' OK, Claire?' Jamie asked.

'Yes, it's just...' Claire and Jamie were interrupted by John, who had left the room due to an important message. 

'Claire, your friend Geillis send me an email asking to talk to you as soon as it was possible.' John said. 

'We had our weekly chat a couple days ago.' Claire said. 'I don't know what she might want now.' Jamie accompanied Claire to the telecommunications room, sitting beside her as Abby connected them with Geillis on her London flat. 'Geillis, John says you needed to talk with me quickly.'

'Aye, 'tis about Frank.' Geillis said.

'Frank?' Jamie asked to Claire. 'Yer ex.'

'If it's about the house, he can transfer the money to my account. I don't wish to...' Claire tried to say before she was interrupted by Geillis.

'He's dead.'

'Wait, what? Did you say...?' Claire felt dizzy at the news. 

'Ye ken the lass he was now, the student.' Geillis narrated to Claire. 'They were on a bar drinking past night. They met with the lass' ex-boyfriend. He had been drinking and confront Frank and the lass. Frank was a bit tipsy too and the thin' soon escalated on a fight and the lad stabbed him on the chest. Frank was dead by the time he arrived to the hospital.' Claire burst in tears and Jamie hugged her tightly, John and Abby also shocked on the back of the room. 'I couldna let ye not ken until next week or until ye were back on London.'

'It's OK.' Claire said, as she burrowed even more into Jamie. 

'Let's go to our room lass.' Said Jamie. 'Sorry to have met ye in these circumstances Geillis. Claire has told me about ye.' 

'Likewise Jamie.' Geillis said before end the connection.

'I'm so sorry, Claire.' Abby said as Jamie took Claire out of the room. 

'Thank you, Abby.'

'Take your time.' John said. 'Take care of her.' He added to Jamie.

'I will, John.' Jamie said as the walked on the direction of their bedroom. 'Take, drink some tea. It'll help.' Jamie said some time later, bringing Claire a steaming tea from the room's kettle.

'Thank you, Jamie.' Claire took a sip from the drink, leaving it on the table. 'I can't believe he's gone.' Claire felt tears again and Jamie held her closely to him again. 'We had our bad moments, but I would have never wished him to...'

'Of course, ye wouldna.' Jamie's hand moved up and down Claire's back, trying to soothe her, speaking sweet words in Gaelic. It helped, Claire soon feeling a bit better and calmer, Jamie's natural warmth seeping into her.


End file.
